Baffling Behavior...
I'm pretty sure this is a female Brown Headed Cowbird, and as such is one of my least favorite bird species. Females do not build nests of their own, but instead look for other birds nests to lay their eggs in, relying on the host species to feed and raise their young. (Which most do.) They've been known to invade the nests of over 220 species of other birds. This individual was foraging on the ground as I walked by trying to track down a couple Blue Jays. She did not fly away as I walked closer, instead she fluffed up her feathers and kept opening her beak while not making a sound. One guess I have is that this might be a juvenile and was trying to solicit food? As my title suggests, I am pretty baffled by this behavior. If anyone has seen this before, I would welcome any thoughts you have. Have a great weekend everyone!
Hummel Park
Plainfield, Indiana, USA
Baffling Behavior...
I'm pretty sure this is a female Brown Headed Cowbird, and as such is one of my least favorite bird species. Females do not build nests of their own, but instead look for other birds nests to lay their eggs in, relying on the host species to feed and raise their young. (Which most do.) They've been known to invade the nests of over 220 species of other birds. This individual was foraging on the ground as I walked by trying to track down a couple Blue Jays. She did not fly away as I walked closer, instead she fluffed up her feathers and kept opening her beak while not making a sound. One guess I have is that this might be a juvenile and was trying to solicit food? As my title suggests, I am pretty baffled by this behavior. If anyone has seen this before, I would welcome any thoughts you have. Have a great weekend everyone!
Hummel Park
Plainfield, Indiana, USA